“Ideally, yes, it was always the Hurricanes,” he said, and only the dotted line hadn’t been signed when TV cameras captured Williams in Dundon’s box during Carolina’s 5-4 overtime win against the Flyers on Tuesday, swapping tips on their chipping technique. If I wanted to go play golf, I could just go play golf.”. “He said he was starting to feel really good,” Waddell recalled, “But he said, ‘Let’s get through the holidays and we’ll talk after.’” Finally, as the calendar flipped to 2020 and Waddell returned from watching the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, word came from Williams that he was ready to discuss contract terms. As he entered the media room, camera shutters clicked and cell phones emerged, both from the rows of reporters and a crowd of organizational employees invited to see the show. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. “Because if I’m all in, I’m going to be all in. I’ve got to be all in. All Rights Reserved. swapping tips on their chipping technique, Carolina equipment manager/part-time netminder Jorge Alves. No long road trips, no late nights, no missed school events, tons of normal dad stuff. The 37-year-old veteran became an unrestricted free agent on Monday and hasn’t given the team any indication which way he is leaning. I don’t see anything happening in the very near future, but I think over the next period of time we’ll know for sure.”. “Are you one of them now already?”, As time passed, it became increasingly clear to the Hurricanes that Williams wasn’t fully prepared to join Ward in collecting pension checks. “If he’s going to play, we feel he’s going to play here in Carolina,” Waddell said. Canes’ captain Justin Williams to ‘step away’ from NHL | Raleigh News & Observer But we can’t do anything about it. See what happened before Kyle Dubas made the call! In the back of everyone’s mind, we knew [there] was a real good chance this would happen, but he obviously had to make the final push.”. It’s a big part of the conversation, but we’re here to put the best players to win the most games. But he can crank it up for the last half of the season.”. Rough terms were agreed upon by Monday, followed by a day of fiscal finagling with NHL headquarters “because of the way they count bonuses toward your cap,” Waddell said. He could’ve made those plays.’”, Around mid-October, as the Canes opened their schedule with a five-game winning streak, Williams started skating again, dipping his toes into the icy waters. He won the Conn Smythe Award as MVP of the 2014 playoffs when he scored 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 26 games. We don’t have to give up an asset. Justin Williams mulls retirement or return to Hurricanes. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. While team officials weren’t allowed to supervise his workouts, they couldn’t help it if Williams happened to be skating by himself at their practice rink. Waddell feels there is only one team Williams will consider lacing up the skates for next season. “I think he potentially could be leaning toward playing, but I think in the next few weeks it will shake out.”. ! It remains to be seen where Williams will slot among a forward corps that has helped the Hurricanes control 54.37% of shots and 55.30% of scoring chances at even strength this season, tops in the league according to Natural Stat Trick. Prior to Christmas, Waddell contacted Williams to see if he was ready to return. “I was wrong. The 37-year-old veteran became an unrestricted free agent on Monday and hasn’t given the team any indication which way he is leaning. “I had a lot of fun. He’s not a spring chicken either. I’m not going to be good if I’m 85 percent all in. But once the season started, he came with me to an early game. Justin Williams is mulling retirement after 18 seasons in the league, but the Carolina Hurricanes hope their 2018-19 captain will decide to play another season. “That’s what he had to do to get the juices going. “He hasn’t given us 100% yet which way he’s going to go,” Carolina general manager Don Waddell told reporters. But I think it’s a no-brainer too. And now he was headed to nearby PNC Arena to formally ink a bonus-laced $700,000 contract and officially rejoin the Hurricanes for the second half of his 20th NHL season. First Lundqvist, now Crawford. LeBrun reports that Williams has tentatively agreed on a contract with Carolina, with an official signing and announcement likely to … “We had our spies on him,” general manager Don Waddell told SI.com with a smile. “This was probably happening,” Dundon said. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. NHL Insider Williams unsure if he'll retire, return to Hurricanes, or play elsewhere Carolina captain, who can become free agent, doesn't expect quick decision 14 jersey as coach last season, felt similarly. While it is unlikely that Williams will face the Coyotes, or even re-debut when L.A. arrives on Sunday, the Hurricanes believe that the Team Grandpa still has plenty to contribute to one of the NHL’s youngest rosters, which held a wild card spot at 25-16-2 (52 points) entering Friday’s home game against Arizona. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. (For starters, Jaxson and Jade were overwhelmingly in favor of dad returning.) We’re really seeing the end of an era. One time, Ward briefly considered putting on his pads and mask and letting Williams whip shots at him, but feared that he might get too competitive and pull a groin muscle. Justin Williams of the Carolina Hurricanes takes the puck in the third period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 3, 2019 in Philadelphia. “I’d be at the rink early and he’d be out there, messing around,” Brind’Amour said. Waving hello as he passed the security desk, he headed downstairs to rink level, where Dundon, Waddell and other team officials were waiting to escort him to a noon press conference. “There’s only so many opportunities to play against the world’s best,” he explained. That’s the only (thing) that’s fair to me, fair to the teammates, fair to everybody.”. “I didn’t know if I wanted to play again.” But he still kept close tabs on the Hurricanes once the ‘19-20 season started, hitting the golf course with coach Rod Brind’Amour and partnering with owner Tom Dundon in doubles tennis, texting words of encouragement to struggling ex-teammates and occasionally showing up to watch them play. Habs, Leafs showing interest in Simmonds; Ekman-Larsson imposes deadline to Coyotes But these are issues for a future date. “Once he gets up to speed, I’m pretty sure we’ll get the old Justin Williams back,” Brind’Amour said. If I’m not quite all there, then I have to reassess the situation. Williams, a forward, had 23 goals and 30 assists in 82 games last season to help Carolina reach the Eastern Conference finals. “That statement I made was completely accurate and honest,” he says. He was been part of three Stanley Cup winners, with the Hurricanes in 2006 and the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014. Upon returning here to Raleigh, while his former Carolina Hurricanes teammates slogged through training camp, he had settled into a fulfilling rhythm of “normal dad stuff” —attending school recitals, coaching sports teams, helping son Jaxon, 11, and daughter Jade, 8, with their homework ... “Taking the time to enjoy and do basically whatever I want to do for the first time in a long time,” Williams said.